[2] The Assembly of the Poor grew out of this unrest, beginning with villagers angry about the local impact of the Pak Mun Dam.
One of the co-founders of the group, Vanida Tantiwittayapitak had become involved in Pak Mun after her relocation to the country following the Thammasat University massacre.
The grassroots organization became official on international Human Rights Day, 10 December 1995, becoming the first rural political voice after the 1975 suppression of the Peasants' Federation.
[5] This took place on the opening day of their first conference, "Assembly of the Poor: The consequences of Large-Scale Development Projects", held at Thammasat University and intended to coincide with the ASEAN Summit scheduled in Bangkok on 14–15 December.
[6] AOP demands compensation for those injured by developmental strategies and access to resources by their own communities, but does not limit its political activities to self-interest.